Hot Topics:

Lori Fuller: Proposed open space plan punishes dog owners

Posted:
04/11/2013 01:00:00 AM MDT

On Friday, after a year of public discussion, Boulder's Open Space and Mountain Parks department released their proposed modifications to the Green Tag program, originally created to allow dogs under voice and sight control on the city's open space lands while protecting natural resources and the user experience.

Toughening of penalties for dog-related offenses has been recommended over the last year; including a revocation of Green Tag privileges after incurring two dog offenses on open space lands (two strikes and you're out). Harsh as this may seem to dog owners, it may be justified in the name of protecting resources and the user experience. But the staff's latest proposal pushes the concept beyond the reasonable.

The staff is proposing that the two strikes can be infractions committed anywhere in the city -- not only on open space. For example, if our dog were to be picked up because my 9-year-old daughter left the gate open, I could lose my off-leash privileges on open space. This goes beyond the intent of the Green Tag program and demonstrates how the open space department has lost touch with this program's objective.

Furthermore, the new proposal recommends that if any dog loses its Green Tag privileges, then all dogs and people in the household also lose off-leash privileges.

Advertisement

Open space staff is trying to morph a plan conceived to preserve resources and enhance user experience on open space lands into a city-wide dog management plan that singles out Green Tag dogs for additional punishment. The staff claims that dog owners confuse open space and city dog regulations. They quote Animal Control Supervisor Janee Boswell's assertion that it is essential for the city to send a "consistent message." But if consistency is the goal, then Boswell should be advocating for voice and sight control within the city as well.

New coordinator pushes Buffs to work, play at level he expectsJim Leavitt has discovered this much about his new defense at Colorado: He has some talent with which to work, but his players need to put it in another gear. Full Story